A thrill runs through me every time I start reading the gospel of Matthew because I can clearly see the hand of God at work. Matthew 1:1-16, records the genealogy of Jesus Christ going back two thousand years through King David to Abraham, the father of the Jewish people. That’s forty two generations of who begat whom. I don’t believe there’s anyone alive today who has traced their lineage back 42 generations. I don’t even think it’s possible even with current technology like as computers and the internet. Those who don’t believe the Bible is God’s Word have no explanation for how Matthew suddenly had a list of all the ancestors of Jesus other than he made up the names. I know the answer. The Holy Spirit of God gave this genealogy to Matthew who wrote it down for us in his gospel of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.
God does it one better in the gospel of Luke where the genealogy of Jesus is recorded all the way back to Adam, the first man. We’re talking about four thousand years of recorded human history. These were ancient people with no books, no writing of any kind, no written language or even the ability to read if a written language did exist. These people had no paper, no pen and no way to record anything other than by scratching a few marks on a piece of bark. These were nomadic people living in tents and herding sheep. How in the world could people in that day keep track of who their ancestors were? The answer is they couldn’t and they didn’t. Fast forward to our time where I can only trace my genealogy back three generations and I had to peruse Ancestry.com for several hours to find that out. So going back 42 generations or twice that is only possible with divine intervention. The odds of anyone tracing their ancestry back to Adam are so great it’s virtually impossible. What we’re looking at with the genealogy of Jesus Christ is probably the greatest single proof in the entire Bible that God is who he says he is and that the Bible was written by the hand of God.
Isaiah 9:6-7 – For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
2 Samuel 7:16 – (God speaking to King David) – And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever.
It’s clear from scripture that Jesus Christ, the Messiah, is a direct blood descendant of King David and Jesus will rule his kingdom forever. If Israel had not been overthrown as a nation the rightful king of Israel would have been Joseph the carpenter. Jesus was conceived in Mary by the Holy Spirit and Mary was of the bloodline of King David. Jesus, as the adopted son of Joseph, was heir to the throne of Israel both legally and by blood through his mother Mary. Matthew was a Jew writing his gospel for the Jews to prove to them that Jesus was the Messiah and the genealogy of Jesus was a key part of that proof. Another proof to the Jews was showing Old Testament prophecies being fulfilled in the life of Jesus. Over 60 prophecies about the coming Messiah, the Christ, were fulfilled in the life of Jesus and documented as a historical fact. Most important of all, Matthew wrote his gospel of the life and ministry of Jesus to preserve his eyewitness testimony that Jesus Christ is the long awaited King of Israel.
There’s another thing I’d like to point out in 2 Samuel 7:16, that some people miss. We all know at his second coming Jesus will set up his millennium kingdom on earth for 1000 years and Jesus will rule in heaven forever. In the above verse God twice says the throne of King David will be established forever and when God says something twice in the same verse it’s important for us to understand. We assume that King David’s throne will be accomplished through Jesus. While this is true, in the above verse God is speaking directly to King David when he adds the words, “before you,” at the end of his statement about the kingdom. We’re all going to live forever in God’s kingdom but for God to use the Old Testament terminology, “before you,” is telling me King David will be there in a ruling capacity. If God had used the words, “after you,” instead of, “before you,” then King David would probably have no part in ruling the kingdom to come. It’s clear to me that King David’s importance in the kingdom of God has been firmly established by scripture and he will be second only to Jesus himself. As Jesus’ deputy I fully expect King David to oversee day to day operations of the millennial kingdom.